Folding and atrtdibtatically-closing desk element



Aug. 6, 1929.

J. R. BLAINE FOLDING AND AUTOMATICALLY CLOSING DESK ELEMENT Filed July 25. 1927 Q@ W ww@ www@ .7..

.lupin-TH VUUHHAUUTMNM Tnlll. ll u Patented Aug. 6, 1929.

` UNJITEP vSTA"IFS 1,723,324@ ,PATENT @Fl-C5 Y JosErrrl Eff BENE; or 'oak rAEEf inni-Noirs, hssIG'rnoE-*To oIJEiiI wnE'E'nEE- or' f Y v CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

y 'la EpEonnIivG ANDroMA'rIonLLYLoLosInG nEsK' ELEMENT.

, ...Application me@ any 28,

The purpose of thisV invention is to provide a'convenient form of oiiice desk having a receptacle for papers which isupright atthe working position and forwardlyopen forreceiving papers, and adapted to be'foldedto horizontal position upon the top of the desk,

Vso

Vand in the process vto be closed for vsecu-rely retaining the' papers therein, and which Mis* adapted'to be securely locked at its` upright working position releasably for permitting it A to be closed `as indicated.Y The invention consists in the elements and features of construction shown and described asindicated inthe claims. f

In the drawings Figure lis a vertical fore-and-aft section of the'top or work table of the desk equipped with this invention which is shown in vertical section at open working position, the. parts being shownin full line aty working position and in dotted line atclosed position,

Figure 2 is a detail section at the line 2--2 on Figure 1 showing thel catch device Y'for 'locking the receptacle at upright working po-V Figure 3 is afdetail section at the line 8'3 Figure 4L isa detail section at the line-4 4 Von Figure 3. Y'

Y v Figure 5 is a detailsection onvanenlarged scale of part'of'whatisshown at'the lower endv of Figure 2. l Y

In the drawings the top` ofv the" desk, 'hereinafter referred to -in relation to'vthe recep- -tacle as-the support, is shown at A, being-a stampedlmetalmember as may be understood from the section, rudiments of the supporting standards ofthe desk being indicated atfvB, B. 1 lC is a receptacle for papersalso'made of metal stampingsas maybe Yunderstood by the section." 'The receptacle Gis hingedly mounted Lbythe forward lower corner upon `the desk y top` orsupport, A, a's'indicatedl ata.` and is providedatv the rear lower corner with the kmeans for releasably locking it at uprightposition'by engagement of its-said' rear lower corner withthesupportby mea-ns of catchdev vioesin'dicatred' in totalityatD, and'lhereinafter vmore particularly described. The lrei ceptacle,C, is open atv itsforward sid'etoward the working areaiof the desktop or support,

A, :as indicated at C1, and an? appurtenant member which -i-n the form illustrated i's a par- I tial closure or` guard for this open side,is1pro videdrin the formof a collapsible dev ice,E,

being formed with lateral flanges, E2, E2,with

1927; Serial lNo. 208,007.

which is pivotallymounted on the receptacle as seen at e, and adapted to swingforwardly to position shown in fullline in Figure l for affording access over its upper edge to said deviceand to the receptacle, said device, E,

lappingv extensions, erendering it channelform, so that the papers inserted into its upper end over its upper edge between the angeV sides are safely guided into and-retained in said device and in the receptacle. T heVpivot-,a is positioned with respect to the --receptacle and with respect :to the flanges, E2,

of the closure member, E, so that when vthe latvt' er-is ytilted about said lpivots to upright posi- @tion ofits'forward side, said forward side is a little back of the plane of the forward edgesof the opposite ends ofthe receptacle as indicated by dotted line positionof said closure at the closed and folded position of the receptacle in Figure 1. YFor normally checking and holding the appurtenant device at the open or expanded position Vshown in full line in Figurel, and permitting it to swing to the'collapsed or receptacle-closing or guarding posivtion showninadotted line in that figure, and i .for actuating it from one position to the other 1n the `folding vmovement of the receptacle from upright position of service to theprone position lodged flat-upon the desk toporsupport,as shown in dotted line in Figure 1,'there Ais provided at either end, 'and' if desired, at

rboth ends, (though shown only at one-end in the drawings) a-'cam device which Icomprises Y a slotted Acam plate, vF, mounted as a bracket upon the forward sideof the appar tenant-member, E, and extends through Aa slot, a1, in the desk top orvsupport, A,-s'aid cam plate having its slot, jj', engaging an abutment, preferably a stud-and-roll, G,which -is -mounted rigidly in the marginalange, A1,*

of the supporter desk top, A. The-position ofl this bracket camfplate, and co-operating stud-and-rollabutment, and the form ofthe Aslot inthe camr bracket, are selected and designed in View.A of the relative positions ofthe-'fV hinge pivot of the receptacle to lthe-support ata, Vand the pivot of 'thev member,v E, to the receptacle at e, so that in thefol'df ingmove vment ofthereceptacle from uprightv toward prone position, thev inclination of the member,-l

E,'froml full line position shown in Figure 1 shall not be materially -altered -duringzthe initial foldingmovement of lthe-freceptlacleg through the angle of inclination of said inem- .is not necessarily precisely as shown, that is,

prone position the two parts move substantially together. For effecting the movement -as described, the form of the cam slot is as seen in Figure 1, 'comprising what may be termed the initial--=part, 20, substantially parallel with the support, Lat that upright position of the receptacle, and the vvfinal part,

21, curved in an arc of a circle about the pivot,

ci, at the folded down or closed positiony of the receptacle. It will be obvious that the form and direction of tlie, part 2O of the cam slot is not necessarily precisely parallel with the support, A, nor necessarily perfectly straight, it being only necessary that it shall be at such anfangle to the face of the member,' E, as to afford the necessary camming action for rock ing said member about its pivot, e, that is, relatively to the receptacle, substantially as fast as the angle of inclination of the receptacle changes in' its initial tilting movement for closing; But the arcuate form of the part,

21, of the slot, as described, is obligatory in order thattlie relative position of the appurvtenant member, E, and receptacle shall n ot be changed, but the two shall move-together aboutthe pivot of the hinge, a, throughout vthe portion of the folding movement o f the receptacle after by the initial tilting of the receptacle,- the member, E, is in collapsedand v closed or in guarding relation thereto,- 'Y For locking the receptacle at working po# sition, that is, standing upright onthe work support with the appurtenantclosure member at open position, there is provideda locking means which comprises a catchl device at the rear lower corner of the receptacle, said i catch device consisting of a catch plate, 30,

mounted on the support, A, having a slot,31, f KHfor engagement of a catch nose, 32, of a lever catch member, 33, which, as shown, is in the form of a bell crank lever fulcruined att on the rear wall, C?, of the receptacle, C, the catch nose, 32being formed for protruding. into and through the vslot inthe catch Aplate when the receptacle is swung yto upright position,

the hook, 32%'of said catchnose engaging under the edgeof the catchk plate at the end of the v slot31, themeans 'for causing. such engage-` .i ment-being a stretchedspring, 35,'wliich isi connectedV atone1 end to the horizontallypro- V.` jectiiigvarm, 33a, of the bell 'craiik lever, 33,

and vat-,tlie other endto apressure member, e0, Y Y y. which is mountedslidingly on the back wall,`

C2, thepivot, 34, serving as one guide for -the V.sliding movement, and a second guide being formed by a similar stud, 34a, the member, 40,

having slots, 41, for engaging the studs'for said sliding movement. the pressure member, 40, is curved inthe arc of a- Ycircle as seen at 42, and dimensionedfor being stressed bythe spring, 35, onto'the up- "per side of thecatch 'plate30 directly over the engagement therewith of the hook, 32,1for

reinforcing the engagement of the hook with the catch plate. ,A link, 50, slotted at itslower end as seen at 51 for en adinv the horizontal' arm, 33, ofthe bell crank lever, 33, extends The lower end of Y up through the receptacle to the upper end thereof where it is connected with the inanual- ,1'

ly operated lever, 52 fulcrumed at 53 intermediate its ends'on a pocket hereinafter-described,`which is mounted on'the receptacle wall, the shorter arm affording the pivotal u connection at 454k with the vupper end yof the...

link, and the longer arm serving as an operating handle. lAt the position ofthe bell crank lever at which the catch k'nose thereof is engaged with the catch plate, 30, the longer arm of the lever, 52, extendshorizontally, and there is provided for accommodating said lever and affording convenient means forfulcruining it, a pocket member, 56, marginally iianged as seen at 57 and inserted through an aperture iii the top of the receptacle, the.V

flange being stopped uponthe upper side of said top, and said pocketmember .having at the lower rear corner slots in its bottom Aand rear wall as seen at 58 for accommodatingthe short arm of theflever and the connectedendl of the link, 50, as seen in Figure 1. Desirably,`

the entire locking construction` described is partitioned off from the filing space of the receptacle by a vertical partition, C?, which may V extend high enough to guard against 4the enf tanglenient with,Y the parts of the locking clevice of papers inserted as indicated over the upper edgevof the closure, E. lDesirably,1to

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prevent accidental Ientrance lof extraneous 4matter into the space kpartitioned, off as describedgfor the locking device, the slot,30, of the catch plate is provided with aiclosure,

shown at. 60, hinged to the under side of said catch plate and provided with a spring, 6 1, Y

coiled around its pivot and reacting for stressy l ing said closureupwardagainst theunder side of the catchvplat'e to closed position over the slot. This closure is'` encountered. and pushed open by the end ofthe catch nose,32,when .the latter isintrudedthroughrthe slot in swinging the receptacle; to upright? position,l and ,thev closure thus does not interfere'with. the engagement ofthe catch noseowith the. edge of the slot fin' the catch plate asdes'cribfed@v The part', 40,'havin`g the segment terminal, n 'l I 42, .above describedfasf afpressuremember .adapted to be stressed against the catch :plate for preventing 'accidental ldis'ei'iga'gement of .fthecatch'nose, 32, withthe catch plate, perr forms anraolditional function in the absence or f deficient functioning off theclosure member,

might beliable toV accidental engagement by any loose pendant draperiesjof persons Vhaving occasion At-o pass bythe desk at the rear,

' vwhich'possible icas-uaity is prevented by the lcatedfincombiuation with a supportand a lprotrusion of the part, 32, under the stressV of Athe spring, 35, to the positionshown in full line in Figure 4,' where it completely laps and guards the catch hook, 32a, of said catch nose.

` I claim Y l. In a construction of thecharacter indireceptacle hingedly mounted thereon, and at one position extendingl upright therefrom, isald receptacle being open forwardly, an appurtenant member adapted for guiding said f `forward opening, hingedly connected with purtenant member, comprising co-operating jparts, one of which is mounted 1n fixed posilfcatedin combination with a support and a r receptacle hingedly mounted'thereon, and at nthe receptaclefor swinging 'into guarding position at the forward opening of the re-4 "ceptacle, and means controlling the relative movementsA` of the receptacle and said ap-l tion on the support and the other is fixed on 'and 'with respect to the appurtenant member.

" Y 2. In a construction of the character indione position extending upright therefrom,

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adapted to be foldedfforwardlyi from said Y.position for lodgment on the' support, said :receptacle being'fopen forwardly; an appurtenantmember mounted collapsibly with respect to the-receptacle inthe forward opening of the latter, and means for controlling the relative movements of the receptacle and said collapsible app'urtenant-member consist-- 4ing'of a slottedfeam plate anda (3o-operating abutment, one .of said co-operating parts A beingmounted on the support and the other carried by saidk appurtenant member, said cam plate and abutment being relatively positioned, 'andi-the camslot being shaped for causing the appurtenant member to be moved kcollapsingl'y with respect to the' receptaclein a limited initial part of the movement of the receptacleaway froinupright position, the remainder of the lcam slot being shaped, for -fholdingfsaid appurtenant member in collapsed position during the remainder of the movement ofthe lreceptacle to lodged position. Y y

3. lInja construction of the character indifrom substantially upright position to lodg- `ment'uponft-he support; an appurtenant membera'dapted for guarding the forward openguarding position; means controlling the relative movement of' the receptacle and the guarding member consisting of a slotted cam plate and a co-operating abutment, one of said cpo-operating parts being mounted on the support, and the other on the guarding member, said parts being 'relatively positioned,

.and the cam slot being formed, for moving 'for extending upwardly therefrom, means for releasably locking the receptacle at upright position, comprising a catch plate mounted in the support below the receptacle toward a side thereof relatively remote from the hinge; a co-operating catch member mounted on the rear side of the 'receptacle at said lower end thereof; an operating link from Vsaid co-operating catch member extending past the receptacle cavity tothe top of the receptacle, and manually accessible and operable means at the top of the receptacle for actuating said link for releasing the catch.

5. In a construction of the character indicatedcomprising a support and a receptacle hingedly mounted thereon for extending upwardly at operative position, the receptacle being hinged to the support at the lower forward edge ofthe receptacle; means for locking it at upright position mountedl at' the Alower end of thereceptacle rearward of the hinge, said means kcomprising co-operatmg members mounted respectively on the support and on the receptacle for'engagement of each other at upright position of the receptacle,

one of said members `being spring-actuated for engaging it with the other; a link extending from said spring-actuated member to the upper end of the receptacle, and means at said upper end for operating said link to disengagesaid co-operatin'g members.

6. In a construction of the character 'indicated comprising a support and a receptacle hingedly mounted thereon for extending upwardly at operative position, the receptacle beingy hinged to the support at the lower forv4ward part of the receptacle; means for lock- "ing it at upright position, mounted at thc lower Vend of the receptacle rearward of theV hinge line, said means comprising co-operating members mounted respectively on the support and on the receptacley for engagement of each other at upright position ofthe receptacle, one of said members being spring-actuated for engaging' it with the other; an auxiliary member movably mounted on the receptacle; a spring connecting said two last-mentioned members for holding the spring-actuated member in engagement with the co-operatingl member which is carried on thev support, and Afor holding the second of said members stressed toward the' area of engagement of said members with each other; a link extending Jtrom the spring-actuated membertol the upper end Vofthe receptacle, and means at said,` upper end for operating said link to disengage said .co-operating members.

7.v A structureotl the character indicated operatingcatch members carried respectively by the support and the receptacle at the lower .end of the latter rearward of its hinge; a presy sure member carried by thereceptacle formed and mounted for movement over the interlockedparts of the co-opcrating catch members for pressing them together at theirrenv gaged position; a spring reacting between the catch members.

pressure member and the catch member which is mounted on thefreceptacle in the direction for yieldinglyholding the catch member inl engaged position, and'holding` the pressure member against said catch member, and manuallyoperable means tor disengaging the 8. A structure of the character indicated comprising a work support and a receptacle hingedly mounted thereon for extending upt right at Yposition for receiving contents, and folding down forwardly for lodgment on the support; means for releasably locking the receptacle at upright position, Vcomprising a catch plate on the support Aand av lever catch member fulcrumed on the 'receptaclehaving one armiormed with a catch hook forA engaging the catch plate; a link operatively associated with the lever catch member for moving it out of catch-platefengaging position against. the reaction of the spring, and manually operable' means for operating said link.

9. A structure of the character indicated comprising la substantially horizontal support and a receptacle hingedly mounted thereon .extending upwardly from its hinge pivot and adapted to told down forwardly from upright position; means for releasably locking the receptacle 'at one position within the range of' saidfolding movement, said meansco'mprising receptacle at. one of said positions comprising a catch plate on the support and ailever catch member fulcrum'ed ont-he receptacle having'onearm formed with a catch hook forengaging the catch plate; a'springfreacting on said lever for holding it normally in catch-plate-engaging position, and a link connected to the lever extending along the receptacleto--the end opposite that at which it is hinged to the l supportand exteriorly accessible; lmanually y ing position over the'catchhook. Y Y Y Y l2. In a construction of the characterindi'- cated in combination withasubstantially.k

VoperableV means forfactuating the., linl; for

disengaging the catch hook.

10. istructureof the character indicated comprising a work` support anda receptacleY hingedly mounted thereon vfor swinging. be-w -tween two positions; aslotted catch'plate carried by the reecptacle, aevcatch member fulcrumed on the receptacle having one arm provided with a catch hook tor `engaging the catch plate, a spring reactingon the catch vlever iiorv holding the catch normally in catchplate-engaging position; manually voperable means extending tothe exterior ofthe receptacle for disengagmg theY catch hook ,from

the catch plate, and a mevablymounted-1V spring-stressed device on the receptacle for engaging the catch plate atthe'opposite side from that at which the V nose of thecatch hook engages the same for reinforcing the engage-y said lower end,a ycatch device orengagingiV the receptacle to the support atupright posi-V tion comprising a pivoted memberhavingga catch nose and aspringre-acting Vonlsaid member :for stressing thev catch nose inthe direction iforengagement withaco-,operating element on the support-fa- ,guard member mountedv for sliding longitudinallyV ofthe catchy and dimensioned at, onefend Vfor lapping andk guarding `the catch hook thereof, said spring being connected, for said re-action between the catch member andtheguard for hoding the guard member Anormally in ,guardhorizontal support and a receptacle hingedly mounted thereon .and adapted at working .position toeXtend upright therefrom and `open forwardly; and an appartenant member mounted collapsibly` with` respect to the receptacle at the forward-openingV of .the latter, andmeans orcontrolling the relatial first-acting` partof'the cani slotvatthe upright position (of, the receptacle extending at a substantial angle tothe chordy of.v anf.

'arc about the hinge'` pivot of, the receptacle,

and the final last-acting portion of said slot at the ,collapsed-position of the appartenant member. extending in an arc about saidhinge pivot In 'testimonywhereotz I have hereunto setl myfhand at Chicago, Illinois, this? day of Y faosiirnfn. f BLAINE. f

July, 1927. 

